Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

It was deja vu all over again.

In 1956, my parents bought a new Hudson Hornet with the 352" Packard V8 and TU. On a vacation trip to Myrtle Beach, we were mysteriously stranded with car trouble. The garage sold my dad both a new fuel pump and a new carburetor. Both had to be ordered in. The diagnosis was someone had dumped sand into the fuel tank. The Hudson fuel filler was on the outside of the rear fender, so it was readily available to any kid with a hand full of beach sand.

Now, it is fifty-five years later, obviously not having learned in the interim to stay away from those troublesome Packard V8s, I'm rebuilding a fuel pump. As I removed the brass fittings from the base of the pump, this handful of sand poured out.




jack vines

Reminds me of the old saying "Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it". Not that I'm any good at it.

Those gas stations in the south were notorious for sabotaging out of state cars. Was the tank cleaned as well?

Years ago someone I knew picked up their newly restored Packard 160 Convertible in New Jersey and drove it to Florida.

The only trouble they had was when the car conked out in Georgia after leaving a gas station. They put dirt in the tank.

So much for hospitality. Supposedly the reason for self service gas was that political pressure came to bear because of gas stations damaging cars on I-95.

I am reminded of my three year old nephew dumping grass, rocks, and dirt into his Dad's motorcycle tank. He was "filling it up" for Daddy. To give his Dad credit, he didn't blow a fuse, but patiently explained to his son that they only put gasoline in the tank.

One of my earlist memories was in 1948 sitting on the road across from where we lived with a 3-4 year old girl named Sandy Anderson and dropping pebbles down the filler pipe on a mid 1930's car so we could hear the "plunk" sound as the pebbles landed in the gas tank.

Mental note.....buy locking gas cap.

Mental note #2, 3 4, 5 .....:
"Now where is that f'in key???" "I know it's here somewhere!" "I think the dog swallowed it". Quick, rush it to the veternarian". "The last time i saw it honey u were using it to clean out your ear or something". "Left it laying on top of the car honey". "The key was in the glove box along with the key for those $800 wheel covers that were special ordered, maybe the tire store has it". " U went and bought new tires!!!!! WHY!!????" "I have a hole in my pocket" ....

Someone will just break a pencil lead off in the key hole of the locking gas cap. Happened to me on a glove box one time.

Keith, I don't know about you, but I keep the gas cap key on my keyring.

heck i can't wait for the day i can put gas INTO my car LOL!